The present invention relates to devices for aligning at least two workpieces at pre-selected angles. In particular, the present invention relates to a alignment tool which permits the user to use the device as a template to position at least two workpieces at a specific angle to each other without limitations on the length or width of the workpiece and without obstructions on the device which would prevent use of the device for the positioning of an outside corner or an inside corner.
In woodworking and other endeavors, it is frequently necessary to align two workpieces at a desire angles to one another or frequently at right angles to one another. In building drawers for furniture, it is extremely important that a square or 90 degree relationship be achieved between the pieces of wood forming the sides and back of the drawer to prevent the drawer from binding in its holder within the piece of furniture. One of the particular difficulties in bringing into square two workpieces is that often more than two dimensions must be maintained in alignment for proper configuration of the workpieces. For example, in building a drawer and positioning the back of the drawer and one of the side rails into a 90 degree alignment, there are devices which will allow the user to examine and achieve a 90 degree angle between the back and the sidewall, however, with these devices, the bottom edges of the back wall and sidewall must separately be made flush with each other as the typical right angle square does not provide a base upon which the bottom edges of the drawer back and drawer sidewall may be seated during the 90 degree alignment of the back and sidewall.
Another limitation that is common with workpiece alignment tools is evidenced in a device such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,073 to Boelling. The device of Boelling has both front and rear sidewalls extending from a generally L-shaped base member. In addition, the device of Boelling has the ends of the sidewalls and the ends of the base member obstructed by a flange spanning from one sidewall to the other sidewall. This flange obstructs the ends of centrally positioned stem 20 (FIG. 1) and prevents situating workpieces which are longer than stem 20 on the inside of the device so that the bottoms of the workpieces might be aligned by contact with stem 20.
Another example of devices having obstructions which can interfere with the alignment of two workpieces can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,312,078 to Marsh. The device of Marsh, while intended to secure corners during shipping, might be considered as a device which could be used to align two workpieces along the insides of arm members 22xe2x80x2, 23xe2x80x2 (FIG. 6 of Marsh). However, the device of Marsh contains strut member 46xe2x80x2, 47xe2x80x2 on the inside surface which would hold the workpieces away from arm members 22xe2x80x2, 23xe2x80x2 and allow the ends of the workpieces to pivot on strut members 46xe2x80x2, 47xe2x80x2 thus inhibiting proper alignment of the workpieces. Similarly, the device of Marsh contains obstructions on the outside edge which would prevent the use of the outside of Marsh for alignment of workpieces.
Yet another device for squaring can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,315 to Nesbitt. The device of Nesbitt is a frame-like device having no base member upon which the bottom edge of a workpiece could be rested to ensure that the bottom edges of the workpieces are in flush alignment. Further, the device of Nesbitt only allows the outside of members 10, 12 and 30 to be used in supporting workpieces in position. Attempts to use the inside perimeter of Nesbitt is confronted with closed off ends of every angle.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a workpiece alignment tool which can operate in three dimensions to produce a 90 degree, or other pre-selected angle of alignment between workpieces and provide flush alignment of the bottom edges of the workpieces.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a workpiece alignment tool which has ends which are unobstructed and, therefore, can accommodate workpieces of any length.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a workpiece alignment tool which has sidewalls which are spaced apart at their ends which are adjacent to one another to accommodate the exuding of a bead of glue from the joint and, thereby, avoid spreading the glue on the finished surfaces of the workpiece.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a workpiece alignment tool which has sidewalls which are spaced apart at their ends which are adjacent to one another to accommodate the mitered or beveled point of a workpiece therein and thereby provide a tight fit between the alignment tool and the workpieces.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a workpiece alignment tool which allows simple and easy clamping of workpieces in precise, angular relationships.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a workpiece alignment device which has multiple working surfaces to allow the use of the alignment tool on the inside of the corner or the outside of the corner of two workpieces which are being aligned at a pre-selected angle.
The above objects and more are accomplished in a alignment tool which provides a generally L-shaped base member having unobstructed leg ends and an unobstructed front edge and having attached to the back edge of the base member first and second sidewalls which also are unobstructed at their ends and which are spaced apart from each other by a void, the void permitting excess glue to be squeezed out of a joint between two workpieces being assembled in the tool and also to permit the points of two mitered or beveled edges to reside in the void when mitered or beveled edges, such as those of a picture frame, are being assembled. The alignment tool can, in various preferred embodiments provide alignment at any pre-selected angle at which the tool is formed during manufacture such as ninty degrees or forty-five degrees or twenty degrees or any other pre-selected angle.
The foregoing and other objects are intended to be illustrative of the invention and are not meant in a limiting sense. Many possible embodiments of the invention may be made and will be readily evident upon a study of the following specification and accompanying drawings comprising a part thereof. Various features and subcombinations of invention may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of this invention.